Black Oak (Quercus velutina)

Form

Height 50 to 75 feet, diameter 1 to 3 feet; clear trunk for 20 feet or more on large trees; crown wide and irregularly shaped.

Bark

On young trees, smooth and dark brown; thick and black on older trees, with deep furrows and rough, broken ridges; inner bark bright yellow and bitter due to presence of tannic acid.

Leaf

Alternate; length 5 to 8 inches; width 3 to 5 inches; lobed half-way to mid-rib; ends are bristle-tipped; when mature, thick, dark green and shiny on upper surface, pale on lower; covered more or less with down; conspicuous rusty brown hairs in forks of veins.

Fruit

Light brown acorn that matures the second season; length 1/2 inch to 1 inch; shape somewhat round; 1/2 to 3/4 of nut enclosed in thin, dark brown, scaly cup; kernel yellow and extremely bitter.

Range

Found on dry uplands, gravel slopes and ridges over southern half of the state.

Wood

Hard, heavy, strong, coarse-grained, not tough, checks easily; bright reddish-brown heartwood with thin outer edge of paler sapwood; principally used for construction, interior finish, furniture, pulp, ties, fuel; tannin and yellow dye can be made from bark.

Notes

Susceptible to oak wilt.